According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 9,150 paralegals were working in Ohio as of 2018, with the highest concentrations in the Cincinnati-Middletown, Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, and Columbus metro areas.1 With strong employment numbers for paralegals and legal assistants and over a dozen American Bar Association-approved paralegal schools, Ohio is a good place to become a paralegal. In a competitive market like Ohio, it is a huge advantage for aspiring paralegals to earn a paralegal degree.
How to Become a Paralegal in Ohio
The state of Ohio has not legislated minimum education requirements to become a paralegal. However, the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) does offer voluntary certification to qualified applicants interested in becoming an OSBA Certified Paralegal. Applicants must pass an examination and demonstrate specific education and experience to qualify.
Ohio Paralegal Salary and Job Outlook
Ohio paralegals with specialized training have the advantage of specific skills and training that can help them succeed in job searches for positions at law firms, corporate finance departments, and legal departments or government agencies. The average annual wage for paralegals in the state of Ohio was $49,200 as of 2018.1 The outlook for Ohio paralegals is also positive, with a projected jobs growth rate of 5.6% through 2026.2 With such strong salaries and potential for growth, Ohio paralegals with a solid education and experience can expect good prospects for jobs in the coming years.
Featured Online Programs
Explore program formats, transfer requirements, financial aid packages, and more by contacting the schools below.
Profiles of Well-Known Schools in Ohio
University of Cincinnati: The University of Cincinnati's School of Criminal Justice offers an American Bar Association-approved Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies as well as a legal assistant certificate. The BS is a standard four-year undergraduate degree while the legal assistant certificate is designed for those who have previously completed a degree program. A practicum or internship is required of both types of students; the city of Cincinnati has many law firms, nonprofit organizations, banks, and courthouses through which to gain the necessary professional experience. The School of Criminal Justice and the Paralegal Studies faculty are top-rated experts in their fields.
Kent State University: The College of Arts and Sciences at Kent University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Paralegal Studies, a paralegal studies minor, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in paralegal studies, all of which have been approved by the American Bar Association. The BA is a 121-credit hour program, while the certificate is 30 credit hours and designed for individuals who have already completed a degree program. All paralegal studies students are required to complete and pass Introduction to Paralegal Studies, Legal Research and Writing, Principles and Practice of Litigation, and Internship in Paralegal Studies. The mandatory internship helps students gain real-world professional experience in preparation for employment.
Columbus State Community College: Columbus State Community College maintains two paralegal programs that can prepare students for legal assisting careers, an Associate in Legal Assisting and a post-baccalaureate certificate in paralegal studies. Students in the paralegal associate's degree program learn how to draft wills, trusts, and other legal documentation; draft court pleadings, motions, and related documents; and perform high-level legal research. The program requires 63 to 64 credit hours to complete and includes an array of electives that allow students to begin building legal specialties, such as Criminal Law & Procedure, Insurance Law, Intellectual Property, and Alternative Dispute Resolution. The certificate program requires 33 to 35 credit hours to complete, includes only the major courses in the paralegal studies technical curriculum, and is open to students who have previously earned a bachelor's degree.
Top Law Firms for Paralegal Graduates in Ohio
Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP has been recognized one of the top law firms in Ohio by Best Lawyers of America. Vorys was founded in Ohio in 1909 and has since grown into its current position as a national firm, even as it continues to expand. Vorys recognizes that its size is not unique, but that what it offers its staff can be, and as a result supports its paralegals and other professionals with training programs and continuing career development.
Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs LLP is a highly respected firm with locations in Akron, Canton, and Cleveland. As one of the largest full-service firms in Ohio, it offers its paralegal staff opportunities to work on challenging cases with competitive compensation and benefits.
Day Ketterer Ltd. has been recognized by US News as one of the Best Law Firms in Ohio. The firm is more selective in choosing practice areas, and among its core areas of focus are education, financial services and banking, and Ohio shale resources. The firm is consistently hiring.
Paralegal Schools and Programs in Ohio
An asterisk indicates that one or more of the school's programs have been approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).Capital University Law School (Columbus)*Master of Laws | BusinessMaster of Laws | TaxationMaster of Laws | Business and TaxationCertificate | Post-Baccalaureate ParalegalCertificate | Legal Nurse Consulting
Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland)Master of Law | US & Global Legal Studies
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College (Cincinnati)Associate of Applied Business | Legal AssistantAssociate of Applied Business | Legal Assistant (online)Certificate | Paralegal
Clark State Community College (Springfield)Associate of Applied Science | Paralegal Technology
Cleveland State University (Cleveland)Master of Legal Studies
College of Mount St. Joseph (Cincinnati)Associate of Arts | Paralegal StudiesBachelor of Arts | Paralegal StudiesCertificate | Paralegal StudiesMinor | Legal Studies
Columbus State Community College (Columbus; Delaware)*Associate of Applied Science | Paralegal StudiesCertificate | Paralegal
Cuyahoga Community College (Cleveland)*Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal StudiesProfessional Certificate | Paralegal Studies
Eastern Gateway Community College (Steubenville)Associate of Applied Business | ParalegalCertificate | Paralegal
Edison Community College (Piqua)*Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal StudiesPost-baccelaureate Certificate | Paralegal Studies
Kent State University (Kent)*Bachelor of Arts | Paralegal StudiesMinor | Paralegal StudiesAssociate of Applied Science | Legal Assisting TechnologyPost-Baccalaureate Certificate | Paralegal StudiesCertificate | Nurse Paralegal
Lake Erie College (Painesville)Bachelor of Science | Legal Studies
Lakeland Community College (Kirtland)*Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal StudiesCertificate | Paralegal Studies
Mount St. Joseph University (Cincinnati)*Associate of Arts | Paralegal StudiesBachelor of Arts | Paralegal StudiesCertificate | Paralegal StudiesProgram | Pre-Law
North Central State College (Mansfield)Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal Studies
Northwest State Community College (Archbold)Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal
Ohio State University (Columbus)Master in the Study of Law
Rhodes State College (Lima)*Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal/Legal Assisting
Shawnee State University (Portsmouth)Associate of Applied Business | Legal Assisting TechnologyBachelor of Science | Business Administration, Legal Assisting Concentration
Sinclair Community College (Dayton)*Associate of Applied Science | Paralegal
Stark State College (North Canton)Associate of Applied Business | Legal Assisting
University of Akron (Akron)Master of Studies in Law
University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati)*Bachelor of Science | Paralegal StudiesMinor | Paralegal StudiesPost-Baccalaureate Certificate | Paralegal StudiesPre-Professional Program | Pre-Law
University of Cincinnati Clermont College (Batavia)*Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal TechnologyCertificate | Paralegal Studies
University of Northwestern Ohio (Lima)Associate of Applied Business | Legal AssistingAssociate of Applied Business | Legal Assisting (online)
University of Toledo (Toledo)*Associate of Applied Science | Paralegal StudiesBachelor of Science | Paralegal StudiesHonors | Legal SpecialtiesMinor | Legal SpecialtiesPost-Baccalaureate Certificate | Paralegal StudiesUndergraduate Certificate | Nurse Paralegal
Ursuline College (Pepper Pike)*Bachelor of Arts | Legal StudiesPost-Degree Certificate | Legal StudiesProgram | Pre-Law
Zane State College (Zanesville)Associate of Applied Business | Paralegal
*Approved by the American Bar Association (ABA)
Additional Resources
Paralegal Association of Central Ohio (PACO) – Organization devoted to promoting the best interests of area paralegals, offering continuing education and networking events.
Cleveland Association of Paralegals (CAP) – A Cleveland-based organization striving to keep paralegals up-to-date in the legal services field.
Paralegal Association of Northwest Ohio (PANO) – Exists to promote and support paralegals through continuing education and mentoring opportunities.
Ohio State Bar Association – Provides general information for those considering the paralegal profession in Ohio and maintains the voluntary Ohio paralegal certification program.
References:1. Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2018 Occupational Employment and Wages, Paralegals and Legal Assistants: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232011.htm2. Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections: https://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm
